DBQ Brynn Cardozo 8/12

        The Issue of Western contact and impact in Japan has been a long discussed issue. Many wonder how much impact the West has had upon Japan, or what it would be if  Japanese contact with the West had not impacted it's culture, politics and society. Contact with the West both had moderate to great impact and little to no impact on Japanese Politics and Society. In this study it would be helpful to have an article from the World War One era. This is because not only would one think that it would have great impact on the results of this study, but it was a time in the late 19th and early 20th when Japanese contact with the West reached a climax.

        It can be found that in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that the West had a moderate to great impact on Japanese politics. For example in 1889 excerpts were taken from the Japanese Constitution ( Document #3¹). Many of the rights that were listed in this excerpt can be found or are similar to those found in the American Constitution. Rights such as freedom of speech, public meetings, and associations withen the limits of the law,  House of Representatives  elected by the people, Judges appointed from among those who possess proper qualifications,  that no judge will be deprived form their position unless by criminal sentence or disciplinary punishment, and that the rules for disciplinary punishment will be determined by law. A right that is given to their leader also is very similar to America, this right states that the leader has supreme control of the Army and Navy. Showing that the West has had a huge impact on a major governing tool in Japan. In 1909 a letter from President Theodore Roosevelt (Document #1²) to incoming Secretary of State Knox, this letter explained the current Political situation in Japan and how the the Japanese were a little touchy beause the English and the Americans wouldn't admit to association in their alliance. And that the Japanese laborers seek an outlet and if given the chance would flock to America, Canada and Australia to live. Obviously  If all of the Japanese Laborers (small farmers, petty traders, and those sorts) wanted to flock to the West, not only because of it's great political power, but because of the chance at equal treatment, and a proper living, the West must of had a strong political influence in their country. A photograph of Emperor Meiji  ( Document #8³)also shows great western influence. In this Photograph the Emperor is wearing military dress and is angled slightly away from the camera. He has adopted a pose that is often seen in the pictures of American or Western leaders of that time. This Photograph shows that the West not only had a impact on the Ruling style of the Japanese Empire but on the way that these political leaders presented them selves.

        It can also be Found in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that the west had little or no political impact. In 1904 in an Imperial Proclamation of War ( Document # 5⁴) Japan claimed war on Russia because it still occupied Manchuria and Japan felt that it would render it impossible to maintain the integrity of Korea if Russia continued to occupy that area. Their is no proof of western impact in this Proclamation of War, other than the fact that the article stated that We declare war on Russia, possibily meaning that the whole country declared war on Russia, or the Governing Party declared war on Russia. However it could also mean that the Emperor of Japan had a double personality, or that both he and "God" declared war on heaven. In Document #9⁵ a report from a Lieutenant describing an attack on Port Arthur in 1905, thier is also little Western influence. His description show the typical Japanese fighting spirt and feriocity, the only thing that can be linked to the west is that they somewhat ambushed the opposing side with bombs. In Document # 11 ⁶a treaty is signed between Japan and Russia, concerning Korea. This document also shows very little Western influence but the terms on which they agree are up to western standards. These are terms such as that the Russian Citizens in Korea will be treated the same as subjects and citizens of the most favored nation, and that the two contracting parties will abstain military measure which may threaten the security of Russian or Korean Territory  on the Russian-Korean Frontier. 

        Not only did the west impact the politics of Japan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries but it impacted society as well. A Picture of the Mie Prefectural Normal School built in 1888 can prove this ( Document # 2⁷) this school is a combination of western and Japanese Architecture. The bottom arches show oriental influence, but the rest of the structure is very square and Western. If the Architecture of a school house is influenced by the West than the West has and impact on that area. Another Example of the West's impact can be found in document #6⁸, this document is about the education of a Japanese boy, in the late 19th century. The rungs of the education ladder are very similar to that of Western Education as is the six hour day. Even though the material is different many of the objects and learning steps are the same. The Western Influence on education would have impact on society because, well to put it simply everyone must be educated somehow. When you are educated by a western influenced school system, you become influenced by the west. Thus many individuals influenced by the west create a society influenced by the west, therefore the west impacts society. Another example that shows Western influence/impact (for influence always results in impact) in society is a Print designed by a Japanese artist to update a Calendar Series in 1904,1905 (document #7⁹). This Print depicts a Japanese lady  beside what seems to be a photograph or picture of what seems to be the Industrial West. Clearly if the Industrial West appears in a print for a Japanese Calendar the West must have had some influence or impact on the society of Japan. In Document # 10¹⁰ Kume Kunitake tells about his visit to America and Europe. In his description of his trip he tells us that great profit can come to the society of Japan through trade with California, Thus not only impacting the economy, but the society as it may change the context of it's nature. In Document # 12¹¹, a wood block print called Picture of Western Traders at Yokohama Transporting Merchandise from 1861, a huge American trading ship is arriving at a port or bay of some sort. It can be said that trade with the west would change Japanese Society because there would be more Western influence in their culture, Western items would be more openly available and accessible to them, and they would be involved within the Western movement.

    However as Document # 4¹² shows us, the West did not always impact the Japanese. Document #4  is a picture of what seems to be a traditional Japanese House. The Architecture that is displayed is of sweeping curves and tall curved peaks. Culture and society always influence architecture. As this architecture is influenced by a Oriental theme, not a Western theme, it is fair to conclude that society in this area of Japanese culture had yet to be strongly influenced by the West.

        It can be concluded from the documents provided that in the late 19th and early 20th centuries contact with the West both did and did not influence/impact the Politics and Society of Japan. However their were more documents that supported Western impact than those that denied it. Therefore it is safe and understandable to proclaim that in the late 19th and early 20th centuries the West had a considerable impact on the Politics and Society of Japan.

        It is predictable that there would be a Western influence on the education of the Japanese (doc# 6). This is because, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries the west was the place to be if you wanted to succeed. In the west people received good education, and were presented with allot of opportunities for success. The Japanese by modeling their education some what after the western one could have been trying to duplicate the western success rates. This not only would have, in time, created a better educated Japanese Population, but would have opened up new opportunities for their citizens, with out them having to go out of the country. It is also predictable that the Japanese would have modeled their government after a Western one because of the fact that Western governments have been so successful in the governing and happieness  of their citizens. The rights that are listed in this excerpt of the Japanese Constitution are very important to many of the Western Civilizations. Rights such as Freedom of speech, public meetings and association within the law, the right to elect the house of Representatives, and  the right that the rules for disciplinary punishment will be determined by law.

        In this study of how contact with the west impacted Japan it would be helpful to have a document or two from the time of the First World War.  At that time it is safe to say that the world was changing and that Japan was in increasing contact with Western culture. One can imagine that this would change the general data, and have a profound impact on the result of the study and what the reader or analyst would take away from the findings.

notes

¹ Excerpts from The Constitution of the Empire of Japan 1889
http://history.hanover.edu/texts/1889con.html

² Letter Written from Theodore Roosevelt to incoming Secretary of State Knox

http://mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/trjapan.htm

³ Photograph of Emperor Meiji
No Date

http://www2.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/meiji.htm

⁴ Imperial Proclamation of War, February 10, 1904

http://www.russojapanesewar.com/imp-proc-04.html

⁵ Lt. Tadayshi Sakurai describing the Attack upon Port Arthur, 
1905

http://fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1905portarthur.html

⁶ "The Treaty of Portsmouth"
1905

http://russojapanesewar.com/top.html

⁷ Photograph of Mie Prefectural Normal School buit in 1888
1888

http://www.meijimura.com/english/index-e.html

⁸ Francis Ottiwell Adams, Secretary of the American Legation at Yedo, c. 1860

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/ottwell-japanschools.htm

⁹ A Japanese artist designed this print to update a calendar series,
c.1904,1905

http://www.nyu.edu/pages/greyart/exhibits/shiseido//meiji10.htm

¹⁰ Kume Kunitake: Records of My Visits to America and Europe.1871-1873

http://fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1873kume.html

¹¹ Hashimoto Sadahide: Picture of Western Traders as Yokohama Transporting Merchandise1861.
color wood block print

http;//www.loc.gov/exhibits/ukiyo-e/images/8538s.jpg

¹² A Picture of the Johnson Family Home
1890/ early 20th century


http://www/cmp.ucr.edu/exhibitions/asia/japan/johnson_albums/johnson_family.html